Thursday, September 7, 2017

Evil Engine-Nullius In Verba (EP-2016)

Post #352

Evil Engine are a Chicago-based, female-fronted punk rock band on the rise. Having played shows from Chicago to New York and beyond this summer of 2017, you might have already seen them live and seen what they can do. Nullius In Verba, their debut EP, is 5 tracks (6 counting the shout-out to their Kickstarter supporters, bonus track) of pure punk energy fused with a tinge of metal.

From the opening number, Ugly Public, you feel what this band is about. They're intense, yet not hardcore. Accessible, yet not 'pop-punk'. Truly a throwback to when the intensity of punk was first infused with melodic rock. The lyrics are a cannon-spray of commentary on the modern socio-political landscape.

The Resistance is more aggressive, and every bit as fast as Ugly Public. The lyrics are a more-straight-forward 'fight the system' anthem. It's a call to arms against the establishment.

Father may be the best example of Evil Engine's ability to fuse metal in their sound as the clean guitar intro demonstrates their ability to focus on melody. The song still picks up and give you the aggression you'd expect at this point, but the melody is never far from the song structure, and Kryssie's voice gives a perfect delivery with a smooth and bluesy tone and just the right amount of aggression.

Radio Coup D'tat. While it criticizes the music industry's biases in terms of radio air play, it may also be the band's most radio-friendly number... It reminds me of Green Day in some respects, with a major-key tonality and fun-times vibe. It also defends the underground music scene and the mentality of those who support, contribute, or attend shows in the underground scene.

Egression is the last true song on the EP, and it is a worthy closer. It opens with a slow and melodic bass guitar, but soon transitions to perhaps the fastest song on the record! Lyrically the song seems a cautionary tale about society slipping into a dystopia. Socially conscientious, and full of fist-pumping emotion, this song easily merits multiple plays on your listening device.

Brrrraaaap is sort of a bonus track, as it is essentially just a list of thank-you's to the people that supported the highest tier of their kisckstarter campaign. Still, it is a track where... hearing is believing!

Check out the official Evil Engine website,
Follow them on Facebook
Watch their Youtube Channel and...
Don't forget to check out Nullius In Verba on iTunes!

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